Council on Foreign Relations : U.S. should stay in Iraq

[Khephra]

WASHINGTON, March 9 (UPI) -- The Council on Foreign Relations warned in a report released Tuesday that election politics should not jeopardize U.S. staying power in Iraq.

At a conference in Washington, the council-sponsored Independent Task Force on Post-Conflict Iraq, titled, "Iraq: One Year After," asked for a bipartisan pledge to reaffirm commitment to security and reconstruction in Iraq. The council stressed the need to keep presidential election politics out of the Iraq situation.

"With the transition to democracy in Iraq at a critical juncture, and with the American presidential election nearing, President Bush, presumptive Democratic nominee John Kerry, and senior members of Congress must reaffirm the U.S. commitment to Iraq," states the bipartisan report.

Noting "significant progress" in the post-conflict reconstruction and political transition effort, the Task Force reports that the planned transfer of sovereignty on June 30, combined with U.S. troop reductions from Iraqi cities and uncertainty about long-term U.S. funding, has created doubts about U.S. staying power.

more..........

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20040309-114849-1625r

[hang a left]

1. Of course we will stay in Iraq.

You didn't actually think that we would ever leave, did ya?

[Tellurian]

19. The CFR and Trilateral Commission (worth reading)

http://www.prolognet.qc.ca/clyde/cfr.html

[hang a left]

22. I am well aware.

Have the "Who's Who Of The Elite." Let us not forget the Bildergergers, though their influence is global more than national.

[Minstrel Boy]

2. Since when did election politics interfere with the wishes of the CFR?

Of course the CFR wants the US to remain, and certainly it will.

[pinto]

3. hope someone, somewhere asks why we need permanent bases in Iraq.

We've gone through the litany from WMD to secret al Qaeda connection to just plain evil Saddam to aren't they better off? to democracy in Iraq to democracy in the Middle East to question us, we question your patriotism....I am anxious for some real leadership discussion....

(mini rant over.)

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

4. Member 2056 (alphabetical)

http://www.mega.nu:8080/ampp/roundtable/CFRF-Klist.html

[redqueen]

6. *sigh*

And today was going so well. :(

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

9. Doesn't mean he necessarily agrees with the opinion.

It's just a fact. One worth knowing, imo.

[DenverDem]

11. Just means he's accepted as a member of the Power Elite.

Just a fact. One worth knowing.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

12. In the alternate:

Doesn't mean he disagrees with it, either.

[mobuto]

13. Huh?

He's a sitting US Senator. Isn't that the definition of "power elite?" Or am I missing something?

[Zhade]

18. It sounds like you got it exactly right.

NT!

[DenverDem]

10. Another reason to fear,

as if S&B is not enough.

Oh, well, at least he's not bushler, quite.

[mobuto]

14. LOL

Being a member of the Council on Foreign Relations is something to fear? Huh? Do you know what the CFR is?

[hang a left]

15. I have my idea, but please enlighten me.

n/t

[DenverDem]

16. Do you?

Of course you do.

[Qutzupalotl]

20. Isn't that a secret society

where they all masturbate into coffins, worship Cthulhu and plot global currency manipulation?

I could be thinking of something else.

:spank:

[salin]

21. My impression over time has been

a relatively cautious, moderate group. Focus more on stability than radical change of foreign policy. To some this is of concern, as their is a perceived need to shift US foreign policy (pre-bush... now nearly all believe it needs to shift). To others it is viewed as a fairly broadly representative group that brings various international perspectives together and looks beyond US interests in the reagan/bush/bushjr mode of interventist for specific resource acquisition (aka semi imperialism), but instead views the bigger picture of international dynamics - albeit from a US centric view point.

I believe there was a publication from CFR this past fall that was scathingly critical of the current Bushteam's foreign policy - specifically the Iraq mess, but going beyond just the administrations Iraq policy.

If one is looking for big shifts in US Policy, one is likely to be unhappy with CFR as it seems to be incrementalist in terms of moving policy directions.

I don't always agree with CFR, but I find them to be more broadminded in fp analysis than many of the thinktank and policy groups that have gained a great deal of influence among the GOP (AEI, Heritage, PNAC, and a myriad of related smaller middle east "think tanks"). In todays climate - CFR, because of its broad membership, is important - as it does convey to policy makers on the Hill a message and information that is quite stark in contrast to the rhetoric being pushed by Cheney and his hand-picked cronies (aka those who influence Bush.)

[Mari333]

5. Bull. Bring our kids homenow

http://www.bringthemhomenow.com
Give Iraq back to the Iraqis.
bring the kids home

[Barkley]

7. Taking up the white man's burden

Take up the White Man's burden--
Send forth the best ye breed--
Go bind your sons to exile
To serve your captives' need;
To wait in heavy harness,
On fluttered folk and wild--
Your new-caught, sullen peoples,
Half-devil and half-child.

...

Take up the White Man's burden--
No tawdry rule of kings,
But toil of serf and sweeper--
The tale of common things.
The ports ye shall not enter,
The roads ye shall not tread,
Go mark them with your living,
And mark them with your dead.

...

*This famous poem, written by Rudyard Kipling in 1899 as a response to the American take over of the Philippines after the Spanish-American War

[Minstrel Boy]

8. My favourite Kipling: "A Pict Song."

Now, who wants to be Rome, and who wants to be the Picts?


ROME never looks where she treads.
Always her heavy hooves fall,
On our stomachs, our hearts or our heads;
And Rome never heeds when we bawl.
Her sentries pass on—that is all,
And we gather behind them in hordes,
And plot to reconquer the Wall,
With only our tongues for our swords.

Mistletoe killing an oak—
Rats gnawing cables in two—
Moths making holes in a cloak—
How they must love what they do!.
Yes—and we Little Folk too,
We are busy as they—
Working our works out of view—
Watch, and you’ll see it some day!

No indeed! We are not strong,
But we know Peoples that are.
Yes, and we’ll guide them along,
To smash and destroy you in War!
We shall be slaves just the same?
Yes, we have always been slaves,
But you—you will die of the shame,
And then we shall dance on your graves!

We are the Little Folk—we!
Too little to love or to hate.
Leave us alone and you’ll see
How we can drag down the State!
We are the worm in the wood!
We are the rot at the root!
We are the taint in the blood!
We are the thorn in the foot!

http://whitewolf.newcastle.edu.au/words/authors/K/KiplingRudyard/verse/p3/pictsong.html

[Aidoneus]

17. The CFR should go to Iraq

and preferably not return..